WEBVTT 00:00.040 --> 00:02.207 and thanks for taking the time to join 00:02.207 --> 00:04.207 us here today in and thanks for the 00:04.207 --> 00:06.429 important job that you all do , telling 00:06.429 --> 00:08.373 the story of our military and it's 00:08.373 --> 00:10.590 important to the world . Really . It's 00:10.590 --> 00:12.534 a pleasure to be here alongside my 00:12.534 --> 00:14.757 friend and shipmate , General Glenn Van 00:14.757 --> 00:16.646 Hurt . Our teams work shoulder to 00:16.646 --> 00:18.534 shoulder together to confront the 00:18.534 --> 00:20.257 threats and challenges of this 00:20.257 --> 00:22.090 hemisphere , and the two biggest 00:22.090 --> 00:24.090 threats are China and transnational 00:24.090 --> 00:26.368 criminal organizations . As the end up , 00:26.368 --> 00:28.590 a com commander stated his hearing last 00:28.590 --> 00:30.757 week , China is the greatest long term 00:30.757 --> 00:32.979 strategic threat to the security in the 00:32.979 --> 00:35.300 21st century , the Chinese Communist 00:35.300 --> 00:37.300 Party , insidious and corrosive and 00:37.300 --> 00:40.250 corrupt influences at work globally and 00:40.250 --> 00:42.980 in this region . Some examples include 00:42.980 --> 00:45.147 their pursuit of multiple port deals , 00:45.440 --> 00:48.390 loans for political leverage , vaccine 00:48.390 --> 00:50.612 diplomacy that undermines sovereignty , 00:51.240 --> 00:53.780 state surveillance , it and the 00:53.780 --> 00:55.990 exploitation of resources such as 00:56.050 --> 00:58.106 illegal , unregulated and unreported 00:58.106 --> 01:00.850 fishing . Transnational criminal 01:00.850 --> 01:03.090 organizations also pose a serious 01:03.090 --> 01:04.868 threat to regional security and 01:04.868 --> 01:06.970 sovereignty . They profit from a 01:06.970 --> 01:09.400 multibillion dollar a year enterprise 01:09.440 --> 01:11.607 that thrives on corruption contributes 01:11.607 --> 01:13.829 to tens of thousands of American deaths 01:13.829 --> 01:15.662 every year . These transnational 01:15.662 --> 01:17.829 criminal organizations are a threat to 01:17.829 --> 01:20.051 us here in the United States and to our 01:20.051 --> 01:22.107 partner nations . This is a national 01:22.107 --> 01:24.200 security imperative , and it drives 01:24.200 --> 01:26.311 irregular migration . As we're seeing 01:26.311 --> 01:29.230 today , South calms focus is exactly in 01:29.230 --> 01:31.341 line with the secretaries guidance in 01:31.341 --> 01:33.174 the national defense strategy to 01:33.174 --> 01:35.063 counter these threats by building 01:35.063 --> 01:37.230 strong partnerships . An example where 01:37.230 --> 01:39.397 U . S presence and commitment to these 01:39.397 --> 01:41.619 partnerships matter occurred during our 01:41.619 --> 01:43.841 covid response . Despite the challenges 01:43.841 --> 01:45.910 posed by the pandemic , our partners 01:45.910 --> 01:47.577 stepped up and increase their 01:47.577 --> 01:49.760 involvement to nearly 60% of narco 01:50.140 --> 01:52.880 narcotics disruptions in similar 01:52.880 --> 01:54.991 fashion . When our partners requested 01:54.991 --> 01:57.102 assist in combating the spread of the 01:57.102 --> 01:59.213 virus , we responded immediately . To 01:59.213 --> 02:01.436 date , South Com is committed more than 02:01.436 --> 02:05.410 56 million in funding for 464 projects , 02:05.450 --> 02:07.394 donating much needed equipment and 02:07.394 --> 02:10.320 supplies to 28 countries . This is part 02:10.320 --> 02:12.098 of the broader U . S government 02:12.098 --> 02:14.320 investment of more than 230 million and 02:14.320 --> 02:16.320 Covid response , the largest of any 02:16.320 --> 02:19.900 country with an already fragile region , 02:19.910 --> 02:21.966 are partners in Central America were 02:21.966 --> 02:24.400 struck by ETA and iota too powerful cat 02:24.400 --> 02:26.622 four and five hurricanes that displaced 02:26.622 --> 02:28.789 millions and caused billions in damage 02:29.540 --> 02:31.651 within hours of the first request for 02:31.651 --> 02:33.873 Assistance Joint Task Force , Bravo are 02:33.873 --> 02:36.400 only rapidly deploy unit in the region . 02:36.410 --> 02:39.450 Began rescuing people . Our team saved 02:39.450 --> 02:41.980 more than 850 lives and transported 02:41.980 --> 02:43.970 more than £1.2 million of relief 02:43.970 --> 02:47.760 supplies at home . We have focused on 02:47.760 --> 02:50.350 building our team through strict force 02:50.350 --> 02:52.294 health protection measures for our 02:52.294 --> 02:54.210 workforce and the elimination of 02:54.220 --> 02:56.442 unacceptable behaviors , which are like 02:56.442 --> 02:58.664 a cancer to trust and unit cohesion and 02:58.664 --> 03:00.830 readiness . These include racism , 03:00.840 --> 03:02.810 sexual assault and harassment and 03:02.810 --> 03:06.060 extremism . This hemisphere is our 03:06.060 --> 03:08.116 neighborhood , and it's important is 03:08.116 --> 03:10.060 recognized in the interim national 03:10.060 --> 03:12.116 security guidance . It's a region of 03:12.116 --> 03:14.338 vital national interest . Thank you and 03:14.338 --> 03:15.260 look forward to your questions .